Tag Archives: Soul Mate Publishing

Since I’m hard at work penning my next novel – Over Easy – a contemporary romance (*gasp* – it’s not a paranormal), I thought I’d share the cover for book 3 in my Mystic Series.

One of the joys of working with a smaller publisher is getting cover art super fast. Once again, another great design from Rae Monet. Don’t you agree?

Here’s the back cover copy. This book is coming soon – Fall 2014. I can’t wait to share Devlin’s story.

A wise Satyr always pays his debts: Pawn shop owner Devlin Ward isn’t stupid. When Karma appears on his doorstep to cash in an old favor, he can’t refuse. It’s a simple request – accept a delivery and keep it safe. Unfortunately for Devlin, the “package” is a sullen teenage oracle who insists that he locate the Feather of Truth. Or else.

A promise is a promise: Mary Swain, aka Ma’at, Goddess of Truth, always honors her word. For the first time in centuries, she’s finally free of her debts and wants a new life, preferably away from Mystic, where every quaint shop and cozy restaurant is a reminder of her unreliable ex-boyfriend. Finally, she’s leaving and nothing’s going to stop her.

But when Devlin approaches her with the oracle’s dire warning and a frazzled plea for help, she can’t resist a tempting new adventure or his quietly sexy allure. Despite his best efforts to feign indifference, she knows Devlin is attracted to her too. He claims to have deep, dark secrets that even the Goddess of Truth can’t pry out of him. Or can she?

I’ve had the pleasure of reading her latest release Highland Deception and it doesn’t disappoint. If you enjoy Scottish highlanders, historical romance or just hot guys in kilts, don’t miss this book.

Without further ado, take it away Meggan….

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Not so long ago, I was asked an interesting question in regard to my writing: What is the worst piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?

Now, I’ll be honest: most of the advice I’ve gotten from fellow writers is pretty good advice. Writers are a helpful lot. But bad advice tends to come from the people who know you—or think they know you—the best.

It comes from family.

So, the worst piece of advice came when I was prepubbed—you know that period of time when you need the support the most. When a part of you believes you can’t write for a hill of beans, or you’ll never get published. It tends to come right after you’ve gotten rejected for the first (or the tenth, or the fiftieth) time. I got my advice right after I had joined my first writer’s group, and my first third place finish in a contest.

And here is what she said: “You know you’ll never get published, right? You should stop writing altogether.”

A part of me believes it’s just this person, that this particular person has an issue with writers in general and me writing in specific, but I don’t think it is. I have heard enough writers complain about unsupportive spouses or parents or siblings or friends. Luckily, I have a very supportive spouse, and my friends have been generally supportive as well. I could ignore the naysayers.

I honestly believe that the doubters, the haters, whatever you want to call them, truly think they are doing us a favor, that they are grounding us from being crushed by an impossible dream. Maybe life has crushed them in some way, and they don’t see the beauty in chasing a dream, no matter how impossible it is.

Whatever. I’m here to tell you that there is no harm in trying. I’m here to tell you that the only way you’ll never be published (traditionally, self-published, however you choose to pursue your goal of publication) is to not try at all. It’s to let the rejections and the naysayers crush you into believing you can’t.

And believe me, you’ll be tempted to give in.

Every rejection, every time I got bad advice, every time I had a critique partner or a judge in contest say she didn’t like something… well, the first several times, it crushed me. I thought about quitting every single time.

Because my naysayer was right: I had a lot going on. There were so many other things I could have been doing with my time. Sleeping, for instance. I’ll admit, I miss the sleeping thing.

She may have been right, but she wasn’t right enough for me to stop. After all, if something is really important, you’ll find the time for it.

So, my advice to you is this: keep trying. People may tell you you suck, and, shoot, maybe they’re right. But they won’t always be right (suckage is always temporary). If you keep trying, keep practicing, keep honing your craft, you won’t suck. You’ll get better. In time, you’ll be awesome. After all, they say people who read for an hour a day in their chosen field will be international experts in seven years.

Think about it.

What does this mean for you? Follow the dream, and practice your craft. You’ll get there eventually.

But not if you give up.

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Meggan Connors’ latest novel, Highland Deception, came out in March of 2014. She loves to hear from readers, and you can find follow her on her website (www.megganconnors.com), Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Meggan-Connors/120715354695518) Twitter (@MegganConnors). Where you’ll get to hear about her latest camping trip, books she’s reading, musical musings, and her small obsession with cute shoes she can’t wear (because they’re cute, you know?).

When Kenneth Mackay, long-banished rogue and thief, returns to the Mackay holding at the request of his brother, he has no idea what he might find. He certainly doesn’t expect to be confronted with his twin’s imminent death, or with the plan his brother has concocted.

Ten years before, Malcolm made a tragic mistake, and, to preserve the family name—and his own skin—he allowed Kenneth to take the fall. Now that he is dying without an heir, Malcolm plans to atone for his mistake: by giving Kenneth his life back. All Kenneth has to do is assume his brother’s identity. But complicating matters is the unexpected return of Lady Isobel Mackay, the daughter of an English marquess… and the wife Malcolm didn’t want.

Isobel barely knows the husband who abandoned her even before their marriage, and she’d long since given up on having a real marriage with him. Yet when she returns to the Mackay holding far earlier than expected, she finds her husband a changed man. Despite the hurt between them, Isobel’s heart responds to this man who cares for his entire clan as if they were family. Who, for the first time since their marriage, cares for her as if she is, too.

Falling in love with her husband had never been part of Isobel’s plan. But when their future is suddenly in peril, Isobel must find a way to save him—from himself and from the deception threatening to tear.

I’m so grateful that Meggan ignored her naysayer. Otherwise, I’d never had the chance to meet her or read her awesome stories.

A common misconception amongst non-writers (and new writers) is that once you’ve been agented, published or signed a book deal, you will never face rejection again.

Professional wallower.

Well, I’m here to say, “Not true. You can and will receive rejections. Again and again.” While, I recently sold a book, two more were rejected. That’s how it goes.

It’s inevitable. And the sting of the most recent rejection can be just as strong as that first one.

First off, know that you’re not alone. I know every single one of the Scribes has felt the same pain. Sometimes, the same book that resulted in a book deal was rejected by many other publishers. J.K. Rowling. Need I say more??

Casey’s tips for handling rejection:

1. Wallow. Yes, that’s right. Feel bad about it. At least for a little while. Depending on the tone of the rejection, my wallowing can last anywhere from 15 minutes to the entire day. Then, I brush myself off and keep going. Anytime I start dwelling means I have to work on my next book. Onward and upward, I say!!

2. Don’t take it personally. So hard to do. I won’t lie. Some writers get mad and defensive. Others assume they suck as writers. Most land somewhere in between.

3. Be professional (see above). Writing is a profession. Thank the agent or editor for their time. DO NOT, under any circumstances, argue with them, demand a more detailed reason or be rude. All that will do is label you as an amateur and possibly get you a “reputation”. Don’t be that writer.

4. If you received more specific feedback, put it away and come back to it when you can look it with a calm, reasoned mind. Then decide if you want to make changes or submit elsewhere as is. It goes without saying that if you are getting the same comment over and over ( and I don’t mean – this isn’t right for us or any of the other standard dismissals), then you may need to make changes.

5. Don’t throw in the towel. Keep writing and keep learning. Honestly, that should never stop. If you think you don’t have more to learn, then remember – Pride goeth before the fall. Just sayin’.

And finally, focus on the future. In my case, MYSTIC STORM is coming out the end of May 2013!! And here’s the cover:

Share and share alike! I know we all have rejections lurking in our past.

Last week on my website, I announced the start of my very first Goodreads Giveaway to celebrateMystic Ink, now in paperback. I was inspired, in part, by Katy Lee’s giveaway back in December. And because, I realized that while the book has been in paperback since late November, no one knew about it!!

It’s still not too late to enter, the giveaway runs until January 31 (open to US residents only, see Goodreads for all contest rules & details).

It’s interesting to me that Goodreads only allows paper books in their giveaways. I’m not sure if that is because of the inherent concern about DRM issues (digital rights management). All I know is that the reader’s world today is vastly different from the one I grew up in.

As a kid, I got my books from two places: the library and the bookstore. That’s it. The format was paperback or occasionally hardcover depending on the type of book. If someone had told me that, in my lifetime, music, movies, and books would be condensed into a digital format accessible on a single device, I would have said, “Awesome. Sign me up!”

Maybe I would have shown a smidgen of disbelief, but not too much. Hey, my reading (and movie/TV watching) of choice has always been science fiction and fantasy. I was one of the kids who watched Star Trek re-runs every day after school and geeked out over Star Wars.

But, because I’m a sci-fi fan, I also know to ask this question: “What is the evil dark side to having everything digital?”

C’mon. We all know there has to be some tarnish on the silver lined cloud of convenience and easy access. As Rumpelstiltskin always says on Once Upon a Time, “Remember,dearie. There’s always a price!”

Here is what concerns me the most. Eventually, maybe not in my lifetime, if all physical copies of books, music and movies become obsolete, who really controls ownership of that content?

Already, courts are working to decide if customers who buy e-books are only leasing them or do they own them? With a physical book, you can give it away, sell it or keep it forever and pass it to your heirs.

Right now, if you buy a book from Amazon or B&N (or whoever), you are only licensing that content. It doesn’t really belong to you, the reader. And someday, if you don’t even have a physical copy of your digital content, that means you have to go through a gatekeeper to buy it, store it, and use it.

A gatekeeper could be a benevolent corporation or maybe a controlling, not so nice, company (or gack – the government!). Today, cloud storage is free, but will it be tomorrow?

Whoa! This all sounds so Orwellian, doesn’t it?

Now with all that said, I do own e-readers (Nook, Kindle), Kindle Fire,and an iPod Touch, in addition to hundreds of physical copies of books, CDs, DVDs/Blue Ray, etc. And, since I’m a writer, I like knowing that my books ultimately belong to me (and I have the control).

I am not advocating that digital content is bad. I love it. If it weren’t for the computer age, I wouldn’t have spent the last 23 years working from home and watching my sons grow to (almost) young men. And my books would probably still be languishing in some slush pile if it weren’t for small presses.

All I ask, dear Scribesters, is keep your eyes wide open and consider the future possibilities.

Hopefully, I haven’t scared you all away. Anyone else see the evil dark side? Or, conversely, the positives of digital content?

Thanks for the blog invite to The Seven Scribes, Katy! It’s great to be here. My debut novel, POWERLESS CONSENT, is available at: (Amazon, B&N, and SMP) Pop over to my website www.janetnash.com for details on my book. Here’s a little hint: You’ll never talk on your cell phone the same!

Sweet Gratitude is My Favorite Attitude!

I decided to skip the standard author Q and A and chat about Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday.

So…Thanksgiving night, just before I slipped into my jammies and bellied up to my laptop, a flash of indigestion reminded me of how much I’d eaten. Turkey smothered in gravy, sweet potato casserole, crescent rolls slathered in butter, pecan pie…oh what a feast. Did I mention the second piece of pecan pie? Though decadent and yummy, my dancing taste buds weren’t the highlight of my Thanksgiving. What I savored most was spending dedicated time in gratitude. Ah, sweet gratitude is my favorite attitude.

Hubby and I make an extra effort to spotlight all our blessings during the Thanksgiving season. It’s become a treasured tradition. We focus on the simple, yet joyous things we normally take for granted and try to come up with creative ways to bless others. Here’s one…I’m so blessed to own an oven. I can bless a neighbor or friend by baking cookies. An added bonus is that a few cookies manage to fill my cookie jar. For me, focusing on how blessed I am always ignites a sense of fulfillment and serenity. And that night was no exception.

It didn’t take long for my happy thoughts to be interrupted by another Black Friday commercial. The chatter actually started around November 1st. Surely, you’ve heard all the buzz. Super sales, blowout prices, save up to 80%; stores open at noon Thanksgiving Day. All I could think about was what happened to celebrating and giving thanks with family and friends? Don’t get me wrong, Christmas shopping rocks and who doesn’t like a great bargain? But couldn’t it wait until early Friday morning? I still wanted to savor the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

I didn’t want to end my favorite holiday as a Debbie Downer, so I started thinking of what would add to the Thanksgiving spirit. I know. A smile splashed across my face. What if instead of calling it Black Friday, we tagged it Blessed Friday, and spent the day blessing others instead of spending money? Oh, I liked that idea. Personally, I’m not a super shopper, so the Blessed Friday concept sang to my soul.

Either way, shop till you drop or pay it forward, I’m staying in the zone of my attitude of sweet gratitude.

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to blog!

Readers: What are you grateful for?

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of my book, Powerless Consent.

Katy Lee here: Jan, you sure have blessed me with your post today! You put in words how I have felt all week. I used to work in retail and the term “Black Friday” was thrown around by the back-office managers trying to make sure they didn’t end in the red for the year. It has since become a publicly used term and now an annual event, usurping the day President Lincoln deemed a special day to remember all of our blessings. It seems only right to spend the next day paying those blessings forward.

Jan, I am so excited to have you part of the Soul Mate Publishing family! Welcome!

And READERS: Don’t miss Jan’s latest book, Powerless Consent. Don’t you just LOVE the cover? Check it out here.

Powerless Consent

Kate Ballard thinks attending a gala on a luxury yacht honoring her old college friend will be the time of her life, but secret cell phone video threats to her family’s safety, and a hidden sniper force her into a world of deception and lies. Can her faith erase such horror? Though powerless, she relentlessly tries to outsmart her captor and return to the love of her life.

Her husband, Tom, refuses to accept his wife’s decision to leave and discovers that he must revisit his past. With the help of an unlikely ally, he finds evidence of theft and murder tucked away in an old storage locker. When his investigation starts to uncover the truth, he struggles with whom to believe. Will he trust his heart, or the deception before his eyes? One thing’s for sure, nothing can stop him from reuniting his family, not even a force as great as Invisible Surveillance.

Happy Friday everyone! Casey here with a special guest – debut author Gerri Brousseau! Stay tuned until the end to find out how to for a chance to win a Gerri’s contest!

Tell us about your debut novel – A Pirate’s Ransom?

Despair filled Lady Catherine as she boarded the ship for England, and toward marriage to man she’s never met—the Duke of Devonshire. But the sea is no place for a lady. She’s captured by the Pirate Captain, Edmund Drake and held for ransom; a ransom that has nothing to do with coin. But when she’s stolen from him, he realizes she has captured his heart. She becomes the pawn in a dangerous rivalry between two pirates—the handsome pirate Captain Edmund Drake and his notorious and fearsome opponent, Blackbeard. How far will Captain Drake go to reclaim his prize? Which pirate will decide her fate? And who will pay … A Pirate’s Ransom?

And if you think this story ends with the clash between Captain Drake and Blackbeard, let me tell you a little secret … there is so much more. The Duke has a large part in this tale and who the heck is the Contessa Theodora de Lorenzo? Guess you’ll just have to read it to find out.

Favorite pastime when not writing?

When I’m not writing, I like to read and watch movies. I enjoy reading books written by my friends and fellow authors. I enjoy watching movies that inspire me and stretch my imagination.

That would depend on the age group. Isn’t it so unfair that when men age they become distinguished and when women age they become hags. Let’s see … sexy men, so many men, so little time. I do not believe anyone would be surprised to find that I love Johnny Depp, but I also love Antonio Banderas, Gerard Butler, Robert Downey, Jr., Oh there are too many to mention. Why only one?

I have never given that much thought since if Hollywood sought to make a movie, I would probably not be consulted. There are many handsome guys out there in Hollywood. I would like to be present when they do auditions though! Does anyone have Gerard Butler’s phone number? Oh, did I say that out loud?

Mustering what I considered to be my most authoritative and condescending tone, I replied, “I wish to go ashore.”

“Unfortunately, that is not possible.”

“Why not?”

“It is far too dangerous. You and your maid shall remain here aboard The Lady Victoria together with a few of the crew, who have ever so graciously volunteered to remain aboard as your guards.”

“Guards? Surely you cannot believe I have any intension of trying to escape.”

“It is not an escape that worries me, but rather an abduction.” He started to walk away.

“Captain,” I called after him.

“Countess?” he said, facing me.

“Are you telling me that you fear someone will abscond with your kidnapped prisoners?”

“Yes.”

“And of course your men will be far too engaged in drinking and whoring to guard me so that I might be afforded the joy of a day ashore.”

“Precisely.”

“Captain, I demand to be allowed to go ashore.”

“Countess, why must I continually remind you that you are, in fact, my prisoner, and as such, you are in no possession to be making demands? Now, if you would kindly excuse me, my crew awaits.”

He left without another word or even a backward glance and climbed into the launch, which was lowered down to the water. I watched the men rowed away from the ship and toward the island, and anger burned deep in my gut.

“You shall be sorry, Captain. I know not how, but I swear it … you will regret the day you denied me and left me behind,” I said aloud, slamming my fist on the rail.

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Something I would like to share with your readers:

I’m having a contest! Make sure to visit my website www.gerribrousseau.comand click on “Claim the Ransom” to enter for your chance to sail away with all the booty.

About Gerri:

Gerri was born and raised in Connecticut. She attended Central Connecticut State University, majoring in English Literature. Although she lived on the west coast for several years, she relocated back to her roots and birth place of Connecticut, where she presently resides with her two pugs, Mimi and Milo and her cats, Louise and Harry.

As a young girl growing up in Waterbury, Gerri spent her summers writing stories and often times, together with neighboring girls her age, would present original plays for an audience of their parents. When she moved back to Connecticut, Gerri took a job that required her to commute 4 hours a day by train to and from work. After a year of reading a book a week, she decided to make the time work for her, when one night after a strange dream about a dream catcher, she was inspired to write her first book.

Lest you think all of her time is spent in contemplative pursuits, freefalling out of airplanes gave a whole new meaning to the word “adventure”. Yes, a former skydiver who chose to retire from the sport, Gerri assures us that freefall is totally exhilarating and one of the most amazing and thrilling experiences anyone can have. Her energy and zest for life is found in the imaginative and page turning adventures she writes.